General Grading Rubric for AP Language and Composition Essays
Name:_Period__
9
(100)
Papers earning a score of 9 meet the critera for 8 papers and, in addition are especially full or apt in their analysis or demonstrate particularly impressive control of language.
PASS
8 (97)
Essays earning a score of 8 respond to the prompt EFFECTIVELY. They effectively analyze how the rhetorical strategies the author uses develops the argument. These essays refer to the passage explicitly. The prose demonstrates an ability to control a wide range of the elements of effective writing but is not necessarily flawless.
PASS
7
(95)
Papers earning a score of 7 fit the description of 6 papers, but provide a more complete analysis or demonstrate a more mature prose style.
PASS
6 (86)
Essays earning a score of 6 respond ADEQUATELY to the prompt. They adequately analyze how the rhetorical strategies the author uses develop the argument. These essays refer to the passage explicitly. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally, the prose is clear.
PASS
5
(80)
Essays earning a score of 5 analyze how the rhetorical strategies the author uses develops the argument but do so unevenly, inconsistently, or insufficiently. These essays refer to the passage explicitly. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but it usually conveys the student’s ideas.
PASS
4 (70)
Essays earning a score of 4 respond to the prompt INADEQUATELY. They may offer little discussion of how the rhetorical strategies the author uses develops the argument, or they may analyze them incorrectly. These essays refer to the passage explicitly. The prose generally conveys the student’s ideas but may suggest immature control of writing.
FAIL
3
(68)
Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for a score of 4 but are less perceptive about how the rhetorical strategies the author uses develops the argument and/or are less consistent in controlling the elements of writing
FAIL
2 (65)
Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate LITTLE SUCCESS in analyzing how the rhetorical strategies the author uses develops the argument. These essays may misunderstand the prompt, offer vague generalizations, substitute simpler tasks such as summarizing the passage, or simply list rhetorical strategies. The prose often demonstrates consistent weaknesses in writing.
FAIL
1
(60)
Papers earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for a score of 2 but are undeveloped, especially simplistic in their analysis, or weak in their control of language.
EPIC FAIL
0 (50)
Papers earning a score of 0 are on-topic but merely repeat the prompt or are especially bad.
EPIC FAIL
--
(0)
No essay was written. If an essay was written, it was totally off topic.
'The modern notion of 'fairness' is the wellspring of tyranny.
General Grading Rubric for AP Language and Composition Essays
Name:_Period__
(100)
(97)
(95)
(86)
(80)
(70)
(68)
(65)
(60)
(50)
(0)